The International Astronomical Union has prepared an analysis of its membership numbers across the globe. The IAU is a truly international body, with a total active membership of 10 308 astronomers, drawn from 73 countries. The membership figures are presented in four groups according to the number of members in each country: countries with fewer than 20 members; with between 20 and 99 members; with between 100 and 399 members; and with more than 400 members.

The analysis shows the number of members by age group, and also the number of female members in each country, where it tells a rather more disappointing story. Across the entire membership of IAU, only 17% are women. There is little variation in that figure across the four membership groups, although the proportion of women falls slightly with increasing overall membership per country (19% in the two groups representing total membership below 100 per country, and 16% for the group with over 400 members per country)

The IAU is committed to increasing the number of women studying and working in astronomy, and maintains a Women in Astronomy Working Group (see also ann15026) which pursues equality in astronomy.

Links

• Distribution of IAU members by age and number of women per member country (PDF)
• IAU Announcement ann15026 about the Women in Astronomy Working Group

Contacts

Piero Benvenuti
General Secretary, International Astronomical Union
Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 43 25 83 58
Email: piero.benvenuti@unipd.it

Madeleine Smith-Spanier
IAU Database Manager
Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 43 25 83 58
Email: smith@iap.fr

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Press Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 761
Cell: +49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars@eso.org